CHILDREN in Reading council care receive a poor education while some are given no schooling at all, according to a Government report.

CHILDREN in Reading council care receive a poor education while some are given no schooling at all, according to a Government report.

The document, which examines the performance of Reading Borough Council’s social services and housing department during the last year, states the education of children in care is “insufficiently developed”, with one fifth of those in care, or 28 children, missing at least 25 days of schooling.

Alongside high truancy rates, one child was expelled while only a third of the 138 children in care got any educational qualifications – less than half this year’s target.

The Government Inspector said: “The education of children looked after is insufficiently developed. Too many of the children are not receiving schooling.”

A Reading social services spokesman said they had taken on board the criticisms in the report and were working to improve the educational performance of children in care.

Terry Rich, director of Reading social services and housing, said he expects to see improvements this year which would put Reading among the top-performing authorities.

He said: “Children looked after include some very vulnerable young people; some with severe learning disabilities, physical and sensory disabilities and also some who have already had serious difficulties at school.

“However, we want to ensure that they achieve their full potential. We have a full-time educational advisor for looked-after children who will help us to ensure that we make good progress.”

Mr Rich added that joint working with the education department and schools would include providing tutoring and home tuition where necessary.

Councillor Trish Thomas, Reading’s liaison councillor for children, said: “Improving the educational attainment of children in our care is a major priority for us in the coming year.”

The report, by Government inspector Lionel Took, did praise the council for increasing the number of children in care who were being looked after by families or adopted by them.

Figures for last year show 69 per cent, or 95 children, in care are now placed with a family – up from 79 children last year, and only 12 children in care were moved more than three times.

He also praised the council for ensuring that the 49 children on the child protection register were visited every six weeks and helping children when they leave care.

But the report also highlighted a severe recruitment problem for staff working in child care assessment.